Horn control system



1951 J. J. PRENDERGAST 2,570,154

HORN CONTROL SYSTEM Filed March 10, 1949 J am as J. Fr'en dergast,

His Attorney.

Patented Oct. 2, 1951 HORN CONTROL SYSTEM James J. Prendergast, Eric,Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New YorkApplication March 10, 1949, Serial No. 80,698

2 Claims. (Cl. 11655) My invention. relates to control systems forpneumatically-operated horns, and more particularly to control systemsfor use on locomotives and the like where it is necessary to be able tosound a horn at either end of the locomotive from either of two controlstations at opposite ends of the locomotive. It is the general object ofmy invention to provide an improved control system of this character.

It is a requirement for substantially all single unit locomotives whichhave an operating station at each end bf the locomotive that they alsohave a horn at each end. In addition, it is usually required that it bepossible to sound either horn at will from either control station. Priorto my invention, this usually was accomplished by the use of solenoidoperated air valves to control the flow of compressed air to airoperated horns, with electrical control devices being situated in thetwo operating cabs to provide selective operation of either horn fromeither cab. Such a system, however, is relatively expensive in firstcost and maintenance, and requires electrical energy in addition to thecompressed air required for sounding the horns. Attempts have been madeto operate the horn at one end of a 1000- motive by means of airreceived through a direct connection from a valve situated at thecontrol station at the opposite end of the locomotive but generally theresults have been unsatisfactory. Excessive time delay in horn operationand improper horn performance have been experienced in most such casesbecause of the long distance that the air must be transmitted betweenthe valve and the horn.

An object of my invention is the provision of a control system whichprovides for the operation of a horn at each end of a locomotive fromeither of two operating stations at opposite ends of the locomotive witha minimum of time delay between actuation by the operator and thesounding of the horn.

A further object of my invention is to provide a reliable control systemfor the selective operation of pneumatic horns which is low in firstcost and inexpensive to maintain.

In carrying out my invention in one form, I provide a control system fortwo horns which comprises four air valves. Two of these supply airdirectly for operation of the horns while the other two are pilotvalves. One horn operating valve and one pilot valve are located at eachof two control stations. Each horn operating valve can be operatedeither manually by means of a lanyard or by an air actuated piston whichis connected to the air pilot valve at the opposite control station.Each pilot valve is arranged for manual operation by a. lanyard similarto those on the operating valves. Therefore, to sound either horn fromeither operating station, it is necessary only to pull the correct oneof two lanyards.

For a clearer and more complete understanding of my invention, referenceshould be had to the accompanying drawing, Fig. l of which is aschematic diagram of one embodiment thereof,

while Fig. 2 is a more detailed view, partly in section, of one hornoperating air valve and the air actuated piston associated therewith.

Referring first to Fig. l of the drawing, two compressed air actuatedhorns suitable for installation at opposite ends of a locomotive aredesignated by the numerals I and 2. These two ,horns, which may be ofany conventional type,

are connected respectively by air conductors or pipes 3 and. 4 to valves5 and 6. Valves 5 and 6 are connected respectively to sources ofcompressed air 46 and 41 by conductors l and 8, T-'

connectors II and I2, and conductors 9 and ID. The sources of compressedair may be the reser voirs on a locomotive which are used to store airfor the operation of the brakes and other devices on the locomotive, andthey may, for example, supply air at a pressure of pounds/sq. in. gage.

Located adjacent to valves 5 and 6 respectively are two additional airvalves I3 and I4. Valve I3 is connected to the source 46 of compressedair hy a conductor I5 which is joined to conductor 9 at connector I I,while valve I4 is connected to the source 41 of compressed air by aconductor I3, which is joined to conductor ID at connector I2. Valve I3is also connected by an air conductor IT to an air cylinder I9, andvalve I4 is connected by an air conductor I8 to an air cylinder 28.

Each of the valves 5, 6, I3 and I4 has an operating lever, and these aredesignated in Fig. 1, respectively, by the numerals 2I-24 inclusive.

These operating levers are pivoted on right anglev frame members 25-28inclusive, which also provide support for the valves. The levers areequipped with lanyards 29-32 inclusive, for the operation thereof. Aircylinders I9 and 20 are supported respectively by additional right anglesupports 44 and 45.

In a typical locomotive, valves 5 and I3, their operating lanyards 29and 3|, and other associated equipment, may be located in a cab oroperating station at one end of the locomotive. Horn I is also installedat this end of the locomotive, which may, for the sake of uniformity, becalled the forward end. Valves 6 and I4 and associated equipment arelocated in a cab or operating station at the opposite or reverse end ofthe locomotive, with horn 2 also being located at the reverse end.

In order to sound horn I at the forward end of the locomotive, from theforward operating station, lanyard 29 is pulled downward. This causeslever 2| to depress valve stem 33 and open valve 5. When valve 5 isopened, air under pressure is admitted to conductor 3 from the source 46through conductors 9 and 'I and horn I is thereby caused to blow as longas valve '5 remains open.

The manner in which a typical valve 5 functions is shown by Fig. 2 onthe accompanying drawing. When valve stem 33 is depressed by themovement of lever 2|, a spring 34 is compressed and a frusto-conicalprojection 35 on the opposite extremity of stem 33 is caused to leaveits seat in a barrier .38 which divides :the. body of thevalve into. twochambers. This causes air to. be admitted from one chamber 35, to whichair supply conductor I is connected, through the port. thus. created inbarrier 38 to the other chamber 31 which is joined to conductor 3. Thus,air flows through the valve 5 to actuate horn I.

Simultaneously with the openin of. the port in barrier 38, thedepressing of stem 33 closes a second port by bringing a secondfrusto-conical projection 39 on the steminto engagement with acorresponding seat in the body portion of the Valve. The closing of thissecond portv is to maintain the pressure in chamber 3.]. and conductor 3while horn I is being sounded, and then to reduce the pressure inchamber 31 and conductor 3 to atmospheric pressure. and stop thesounding of hornI immediately that valve 5 is closed. When spring 34 ispermittedto restore valve stem 33,, to its original position to closevalve 5, the port which is opened by projection 3,9 permitsthe. escapeof air from chamber 3] through this port. and thence through. anopening, 40 in the outer casing of valve. 5. to the atmosphere, thusreducing the pressure in chamber 31 to atmospheric pressure.

, If it is desired. to sound horn. I from the reverse operating stationat the other end of the locomotive, lanyard 32. is pulled downward.

This causes lever 24 to open pilotvalve I l, which is-identical to valve5 except. that it may be smaller than the latter since. it. isrequiredto pass a much. smaller volume .of air... This in turn, causes airpressure to be, transmitted from the source 41, through conductors IE1and I6 to conductor I8, which connects valve I4. to air cylinder 20. Asthe, pressure increases, in conductor I8, it is transmitted to cylinder20 and a piston H therein is depressed, compressing a sprin 42 andactuating a pistonrod 43. The movement of rod 43 depresses valve stem 33through the interaction of the spherical projection on the end of lever2|, thus opening valve 5. and sounding horn-I in exactly the same manneras. results from manual actuation by means of lanyard 29 and lever 2 I.Valve= I4-hasapressure relieving-arrangement the same as valve 5 so thatthe pressure in conductor I8 drops. to

atmospheric pressure as soon-as valve I4 is returned to the closedposition. Such a reduction in pressure allows spring 42 torestorep'iston ll" and piston rod 43 to their original positions, thuscausing spring 34 to close valve '5 andstop' the blowing-of horn-I. 5 r

In order to sound horn 2 at the reverse end of the locomotive, from theoperating station at the reverse end, lanyard 30 is pulled downward,causing lever 22 to open valve 6. Valve 6 then causes horn 2 to sound,in exactly the same manner as valve 5 actuates horn I, by admittingcompressed air to horn 2 through conductors I0, 8 and 4.

If it is desired to sound horn 2 from the control station at the forwardend of the locomotive, lanyard 3| is pulled downward, causing lever 23to open pilot valve I3. This transmits air pressure through conductor Ifto air cylinder I9. This, in turn, causes a piston and piston rod incylinder I9, identical with piston II and piston rod 43 in cylinder 20,to open valve 6 and sound horn 2.

It has been found that by the use of my invention, it is possible tosound a pneumatic horn at either end of a locomotive from either of twocontrol stations at opposite endsof the locomotive with a time delay notexceeding one-sew,

can be selectively operated from either of two control stations.

While I have illustrated and described one preferred embodiment'of myinvention, modification thereof will occur to those skilled in the artand, therefore, it shouldbeunderstood that I intend to cover, by theappended claims, all such modifications asfall within the true spiritand scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire'to secure-by Letters Patent of theUnitedstatesisz 1. A control system for a plurality of pressureactuatedsignal devices remotely located one from the other, said systemcomprising a plurality of control stations remotely located one from theother, a plurality of signal control valves each connected to directlycontrol the admission of fluid pressure to a different one of saiddevices with each of saidsignalcontrol valves located adjacent adifferent one-of said stations, each of said valves providedWi-thmeansfor theman ual operation thereof from the respective adjacentstation, each of said valvesprovided with additional operating meansincluding-a fluid pressure motor mechanically connected-thereto for thepilot operation thereof, an additional valve located adjacent each of'said's-tati'ons, each of said additional valves provided with meansforthe manual operation thereof from the-respec-- tive adjacent station, aseparate connection from each of said additional valves to a. fluidpressure motor associated with 'anon-adjacent signer control valve forpilot operation of thelatter,

and means for supplying a compressibleloperat ing fluid to all valves,whereby'at least one of said signal devices maybe operated from morethan oneof said operating stations.

2. A control system-for the selective sounding of two air horns fromeither'o'f gtwo control "sta tions comprising in combination, a sourc'eofiair under pressure higher than atmospheric -pressure, a first hornoperable by airatfsaid pressure; 7 a second'horn operable-by air atsaidpressure:

a first control station comprising a first .valve for supplying air forthe operation of said first horn, a manual operating device for saidfirst valve, an air pressure actuated operating device for said firstvalve, an air conductor connecting said source of air and said firstvalve, an air conductor connecting said first valve and said first horn,a second valve for supplying air pressure for the pilot operation ofsaid second horn, a manual operating device for said second valve, andan air conductor connecting said source of air and said second valve, asecond control station comprising a third valve for supplying air forthe operation of said second horn, a manual operating device for saidthird valve, an air pressure actuated operating device for said thirdvalve, an air conductor connecting said source of air and said thirdvalve, an air conductor connecting said third valve and said secondhorn, a fourth valve for supplying air pressure for the pilot operation6 of said first horn, a manual operating device for said fourth valve,and an air conductor connecting said source of air and said fourthvalve, an air conductor connecting said fourth valve and the airpressure actuated operating device for said first valve, and an airconductor connecting said second valve and the air pressure actuatedoperating device for said third valve.

JAMES J. PRENDERGAST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 450,334 Mason Apr. 14, 1891846,306 Harris Mar. 5, 1907 1,881,266 De Giers Oct. 4, 1932

